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Image: The Little House, a 1942 book by Virginia Lee Burton
Late last month the state's Unlocking Housing Production Commission (UHPC) has released its report, “Building for Tomorrow,” which provides over 50 recommendations to increase the supply of housing and lower costs for Massachusetts residents.
The Commission was established in January 2024 and is composed of carefully selected housing policy experts, civic leaders, local officials, and labor representatives. The Commission was tasked with examining how state and local laws, regulations, and practices could be revised to increase the supply of housing and to provide recommendations to the Healey Administration on potential reforms that would ensure Massachusetts can produce the housing necessary to meet growing demand, regardless of local opposition.
“We need to take a close look at every idea when it comes to bringing down the cost of housing for Massachusetts residents,” said Ed Augustus, secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. “I’m grateful for the commission’s hard work in offering up innovative suggestions. The crisis we find ourselves in today was decades in the making but with the right strategies in place, we can change that trajectory," said the former Worcester City Manager.
“Building for Tomorrow” provides recommendations across four broad themes: economic incentives and workforce development in the housing industry, updating land use and zoning practices, streamlining regulations, codes, and local permitting, and bolstering state planning and local coordination.
The report comes on the heels of the release of the state’s first comprehensive statewide housing plan, “A Home for Everyone,” which identifies the challenges contributing to the housing crisis in Massachusetts on both a statewide and regional level and lays out strategies to make housing affordable for everyone. A full online version of the state housing report with additional tools for communities is slated to launch on mass.gov in the spring. The housing plan identifies the need for an additional 222,000 housing units in order to end the housing crisis in Massachusetts.
In addition to ordering the creation of the Unlocking Housing Production Commission and ordering the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to create a statewide housing plan, the Healey-Driscoll Administration has already implemented a wave of measures aimed at increasing housing production, including the Affordable Homes Act, which authorized $5 billion in spending and nearly 50 policy initiatives; implementation of the MBTA Communities Law; and increases to tax credit programs that produce housing.
Statements from UHPC Members:
Jesse Kanson-Benanav Executive Director of Abundant Housing Massachusetts:
“It was an honor to be appointed by Governor Healey to serve on the Unlocking Housing Production Commission, and to work with such a thoughtful group of fellow commissioners representing a diverse set of interests and backgrounds. I am hopeful that the work we did together, and the bold recommendations included in this report, will be embraced by legislators, communities, and other stakeholders around the Commonwealth as shared goals to tackle one of the most existential challenges facing our Commonwealth - the lack of affordable homes for residents in every region. I know that some of the recommendations in this report, including many from the Land Use and Zoning subcommittee which I had the honor of co-chairing, will spark thoughtful conversations amongst stakeholders, and will result in creative solutions to unlocking housing production in our state.”
Tamara Small, CEO, NAIOP Massachusetts, The Commercial Real Estate Development Association:
“This report is the result of many hours of research, discussion and review undertaken by the Unlocking Housing Production Commission over the past year. The final recommendations range from bold actions to targeted tweaks designed to advance housing production at all levels across the Commonwealth. I am proud to present this report alongside my fellow commissioners, and NAIOP looks forward to continuing our work with the Healey-Driscoll Administration and our partners in local government and the advocacy and business communities to address the housing crisis in Massachusetts.”
David Linhart, Director, Goulston & Storrs:
“Overcoming zoning-related barriers to housing production is in the news, from the Supreme Judicial Court upholding the MBTA Communities Act, to the elimination of one- and two-family zones in Cambridge. These examples of adding zoning capacity move us closer to meeting the need for 222,000 housing units across Massachusetts over the next decade. The Unlocking Housing Production Commission’s report recommends next steps on zoning reform but doesn’t stop there – it also proposes strategies to address construction costs, infrastructure, local regulations that exceed state regulations, energy codes, coordination of municipal housing production efforts, and more. We need more housing than we have and the recommendations in this report can help fix that imbalance.”
Nicole LaChapelle, Mayor, Easthampton:
"This report provides a bold yet adaptable framework, offering solutions for communities of all sizes—including Easthampton—to drive meaningful progress on housing production. With Massachusetts needing 222,000 new homes by 2035, the recommendations outlined—especially when implemented together—can unlock critical opportunities for our city. Building on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s leadership, including the historic $5.2 billion Affordable Homes Act, these strategies will help Easthampton maximize every investment, expand housing options, and secure a more vibrant future for our residents."
Levi Reilly, Head of Development, Marcus Partners:
“The housing crisis affects the entire community, and solving it requires everyone to be part of the solution. The UHP Report reflects a year of collaboration among stakeholders, bringing forward the best ideas to encourage housing production. But these ideas are just the beginning. Turning them into real-world solutions will require bold action and partnership between the public and private sectors, local officials and state legislators, businesses and residents. We hope leaders, policymakers, and community members will support this effort and help turn these ideas—and others—into action.”
Jennifer Raitt, Executive Director, Northern Middlesex Council of Governments:
“The Unlocking Housing Production Commission report represents an important call to action by the Commonwealth. The research, analysis, and bold recommendations provide multiple pathways to achieve the housing goals laid out by the State Housing Plan. Every community across our Commonwealth can find an opportunity to create housing options towards a stronger and more sustainable future.”
Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, Chief Executive Officer, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA):
"The Unlocking Housing Production Commission report provides a set of comprehensive recommendations from land use and zoning to incentives, regulations changes and statewide planning, among others. In each area, the report provides solutions that apply state-wide, as well as in local communities. I am hopeful that with the Healey-Driscoll Administration's leadership, and the will of housing advocates, we will carry on these recommendations to address the housing crisis across our Commonwealth and achieve the state’s housing plan goals."
